1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to an attachable dental device for an electric toothbrush drive with a housing and a motion converter arranged in the housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An electric toothbrush with a drive mechanism is known from EP-OS 0 357 863. The drive mechanism has an electric motor, a motion converter which is arranged between the motor and the attachable shaft, and a brush body constructed as an attachment. The motion converter sets the attachable shaft in radial and longitudinal motion. The motor and motion converter are arranged in a housing. In the installed state, the attachment is connected with the housing of the toothbrush drive mechanism so as to be rotatable. A rocker arm is supported in the attachment in such a way that the rocker arm can only carry out longitudinal movements, but not radial movements. The rocker arm is detachably connected with the attachable axle of the electric drive mechanism via a catch connection. A plurality of brushes which are set in radial motion by the rocker arm by means of an eccentric drive are supported in the attachment. During operation, the movement of the attachable shaft is transmitted in such a way that the entire attachment executes radial movements, while the longitudinal movements of the rocker arm, after being converted at the eccentric drive, allow the brushes to additionally carry out radial movements. Since not only the brushes, but the entire attachment, i.e., the housing and brushes, carry out additional radial movements, it is not possible to clean the spaces between teeth or to polish the teeth even when only one brush is attached because of these radial movements. Moreover, the energy consumed by the drive mechanism is very high and is further increased when the catch connection between the drive mechanism and attachment is soiled by toothpaste.